Mute for wind instruments



Sept. 28 1954 w. c MARTIN NJTE FOR WIND INSTRUMENTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 24 1950 w R T mfl a R n I- R w HTTOPNEY W C. MARTIN MUTE FOR WIND INSTRUMENTS Sept. 28, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 24, 1950 INVEN TOR Mu rm CT Map rm HTTORNE r Patented Sept. 28, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,690,092 MUTE FOR WIND INSTRUMENTS Walter C. Martin, Niles, Ohio Continuation abandoned) 2 Claims.

and inexpensive.

This application is and in these drawings:

Figure l is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially from the plane of the section line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the invention;

of applica filed Mare cation May 24, 1950,

tion No. 14,831 h 15, 1948. This appli- Serial No. 163,820 (01. 84400) H opened end H! of a musical instrument such as a horn, as shown in Figure 2. The mute con- M Which is closed Further, a1- shown as disposed longibody, it is evident that they may though the strips are tudinally of the in various arrangements as is found to be most expedient for the use intended.

As shown best in Figure 2, the base It is provided with an and is provided with a finger-grip ring 34 by which the rod may be manipulated as set forth hereinafter.

provided with aligned, axial apertures through 32 extends,

rod 28 between the abutment 24 and the nut 42, and serves to yieldingly bias the parts into their extended position as shown in Figure 1.

In order to clamp and lock the parts into their closed position as shown in Figure 2, the detachably secured thereto, as by screws 46, a pair of vertically disposed standards 48 whose upper ends terminate in laterally but oppositely disposed flanges 50. Depending from the lower surface of the member 40, are a pair of downwardly's struck lportionsi-BZ whichiprovide straps for receiving the flanges-=50 when the'mute cover 36 is rotated relative to the base I4, as indicated by the arrows 54 in Figure 3.

From the foregoing, the operationiof-theldevice will be readily understood. "The mute is inserted in the mouth of the horn'iI-z, andiis retained therein by the frictional engagement of the strips 20 upon the inner suriace'oftheihorn. The spring 44 normally urges the member .36 .to its open or outer position as shown in Figure 1. In order to vary the tonal characteristics otthe horn it is merely necessary to grip the fingergrip portion -34 .andpress 'thereon to :urge .the mute cover 36"inwardly-, to thereby' va-ry theeffective opening or clearance: between .the end: of the 'horn I2 and thelcover-fifi, thusemodifyin-g and lmullling lthe $01131 qualities of the .horn. When it is desired to closetheltmute, either-when mounted upon thehornaor when" removed themirorn, it is :merely necessary .to rotatelthe cover 36 relative .to z the: base I4 -.in .the direction-of .the arrows indicated in Figure :3 -atz-54, whilewiepressing the cover 36 lupon .the base againstlthe opposition of the spring 44, whereupon the flanges 50will engageinwthe straps 52 'for locking the parts in their .closedrpositiorras shown in Figure .2.

v."Attention is: next: directed ate the: embodiment of ,.the .1 invention shown .in Figures l through .8. In this form or the invention ;.the numeral .IH) designates 1 generally the entire mute assembly which is shown attached .to the, flared open .end H2 oi rarmusical instrument. -.-The mute .consists of a body II4 whieh-is a:hollo-wtconehaving adetachablebase H5 and a truncatedopenrend I-IB.

Uponrthe outersurf-aceof therbody I I4.-.ar.edisposed oneor morelrows .of suction-cups .I2-0,:in

any suitable ,position, for firmly anchoring. the body .III4 in .thehorn I.I2, while-,a plurality of cork or. strips .of l other. =materia1 I22, 1 extending longitudinally upon thebody H4, providea .further cushioning: andfrictional securing. means .for maintaining themute in the horn.

. Obviously, any.- desired a number or suction: cups and strips. maybe provided, and .the spacing .of the. same may be varied to suit-the individualuse ion which mute is intended.

Th base H6 is axiall and inwardly-extended as at .lzitoprovidean oilless= guide bearing bore I26 terminating. in anrenlarged recess .LZB. .A rod. I30, with threaded extremities H32 and +34, is freely .slidabledn .the bore Sand is biased inwardly .of .the body II4 by-.a spring l36.surrounding \the .rod: and having one end seated l in the recess IZBiandits otherend-bearingagainst a retainer :head (I38 .secured upon. the threads I34. c-A hemispherical cap I40\of any -suitable material is reinforcedby the. convex-member I 42 whichlis threadedupon the end I32, and a..-.knob Itliservesas acontrol meansfonthebell [4.0. The circumference of the .bell L40 lis .rolledcver asat 1:43 to iorma beadto which isattacheda gasket I48 or any desired material.

As will be :readily apparentirom Figure ."I', .the gasket I48 :is preferably made up .of. a .number of varcuate, resilient members .such. assfelt. or rubber, the terminal ends of which are. spaced jdescription. .ment, .thehody ..I

to provide slots I50 between the ends of the asket sections. The slots I50 define radial openings for the escape of musical tones from the horn is in fully muted position as 8. The gasket sections may be suitably attached the like to either the bead I46 or the cover I40, or to the adjacent rimofthe horn I I2.

*Tho operationand functioning ofthe device will be readily understood from the foregoing In the employment of the imple- I4 is engaged with the open end H2 or a horn, leaving a restricted passage betweenrthetcoaxial adjacent conoidal surfaces of fies the sound fof -"the instrument.

and modi- By means of the action offthe'spring I36, the bell I40 normally seats upon the rim of the horn as shown ini'Eigure 8, further muilling and altering the characteristics of the instrumental note. By retracting the bell 440. against the. action of .spring Hi6 'throughmanipulation. oi the knob I44, .the mufiling. and modifying. eflects of thebell can be variedat will. I A. rapid reciprocation of the bell produces a wah-wah sound of variablefrequency.

:Inviewoflthe foregoing, it-will be apparent to those skilled in the art that I haveaccomplished atz-least theprincipal. object of my invention, and itwillalso-be apparent tothose skilled in .theart that the embodiments hereindescribedmay be variously "changedtandl modified, without .departin-g .irom .the, spirit .ofthe invention, and thatthe invention iswcapable 1 of uses and has advantages not herein specifically described;=hence itwill be appreciated that the herein disclosed embodiments-.are illustrativeonly, and thatmy inventionis not limitedthereto.

I.1claim:

1. A mute formusical instruments comprising aabodylhaving a portionadaptedwto fit'within thE'tbGH Of-a musical instrument," a mute carried by said body and having .a .peripheral portion positioned adjacent'and generally corresponding these elements, which passage mufile to the terminal .periphery ofsaid 'bell and being movable toward .and away from said terminal periphery, connection means connecting said mute and said body and normally holding them against.disassemblyregardless of .the position of said mute, said connection means providing .for

0 free sliding movement of .said mute relative to said bodyso that said mutemay beifreely moved tocausesaid peripheral portionto approach or recede from .said .terminal periphery -and thus provide LfOI change-of thetonal characteristics of. said musical'instrument,resilient means urgin said mutetoward one extremeposition relative to said body, and means for'locking said unite in the oppositeextremeposition.

2. 'A muting device for musical instruments comprising a body member having a portion adapted to fit "within "the bell *of a'"musical instrument, a hollow cap member movably carried by said body member'andhaving aperipheral portion corresponding in configuration "to the terminal periphery or said hell, means connecting said cap and body members .for holding them against disassembly regardless oi'the relative position .of said members, said connecting meansprovidingfree sliding movement of said cap member relativeto and'onsaid body member to provide for free movement of said cap member from an inner, position wherein the said peripheral ,portion of said cap member is "in 'engagement withthe said terminalperiphery ofsaid bellto an. outermostposition wherein. said. periph- 2,690,092 5 eral cap member portion is spaced axially from Number said bell terminal periphery to a maximum ex- 2,248,352 tent, and spring means for urging said cap mern- 2,252,847 her to its outermost position. 2,439,733

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 332 Number Name Date 32: 0

Humes Feb. 15, 1938 10 Name Date Humes July 8, 1941 Greenspan Aug. 19, 1941 Hermes Apr. 13, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Apr. 12, 1928 Italy Mar. 12, 1948 

